Impossible York in York

It’s with a heavy heart having to write a negative review as we really loved this place however, 3 months on from our wedding and we’re still so sad about the way we were treated. Not the way you should reflect and feel about your wedding day. Ellie really was fantastic in arranging the night. She was enthusiastic, helpful and responsive. We didn’t want a big fuss for the night and we felt relaxed and prepared for the evening ahead. We had quite a small budget and Ellie really helped and went out of her way to keep costs low. Or that was the plan anyway. We were reassured that with the number of guests we would easily meet the bar spend. The evening celebration at Impossible was going so well, until it was time to leave. Towards the end of the night we were reminded several times by management about minimum bar spend and how much was left, not something you want when you’re trying to enjoy your wedding night but we continued to enjoy ourselves with all our guests. The problem was when we all left, or tried to leave. They wouldn’t allow us to go without paying the rest of the bar minimum spend, a remainder of £1300. This wasn’t explained to us at any point when organising the party and in the contract we were given it states that: “An invoice will be issued following the event date for the shortfall between actual bar spend and minimum bar spend”. Having to make a payment like that at the end of your wedding night just isn’t acceptable and was hugely embarrassing with our guests around as they were aware of the situation. Thankfully with an intervention from some of our guests we were finally allowed to leave and allowed to return the next day to settle the bill. We paid everything requested despite being very upset with how we were treated, having felt ambushed and held hostage the night before. We’ve since been told that this type of contract is for regular guests and corporate bookings - why were we sent it then? At no point were we told that we needed to settle the bill on the night, though I’m told we were. If we were we would’ve sorted this. There’s certainly no record of this vital piece of information for us or Impossible to refer to. At no point have any management apologised for the way we were treated and they give the impression that we should be grateful for 20% refund. The comment that “had this not have happened on the night you’d have had to pay the full amount” really isn’t the point. There’s no consideration or acknowledgement of how we were made to feel and treated. When we asked how they would feel if they were treated this way on their wedding night, we were told “well I’d have just paid a hire fee, or arranged for someone else to sort it so that it wouldn’t be an issue”. None of these were an option or consideration for us with what we had planned. All we were told is that the evening managers were just doing their job and what they thought was best. We’ve had no apologies, just excuses for their behaviour. The only person that had shown any form of empathy and apologised for how we were made to feel was Ellie. During the “investigation” of our complaint, management on the night accused us of “verbally abusing” staff and we have been told that they are extremely upset with our complaint against them. Unfortunately, their cruel, out of order and awkward actions ruined the end of our wedding, something that we won’t get back. That has caused us more upset. We have no recollection of this “verbal abuse” however, if we did say what was alleged then there really isn’t a better description of their behaviour. The venue is amazing. That can’t be denied, our guests loved the night and said the food was delicious, the way the venue was decorated was beautiful and we are very grateful for everything that was done. Thankfully most guests didn’t experience the bitter end. The way Impossible/ Tokyo industries treat their customers and deal with complaints is terrible. They’re all about profit over their image, reputation, customer wellbeing, experience and satisfaction.

Came here a few weeks ago with my partner, throughly enjoyed the food! Lots of options, amazing venue. Served by the wonderful Alice! She was so attentive and answered all the questions we had about the menu. You are lucky to have Alice, would highly recommend to anybody visiting york!

Went to Impossible today for the comedy night "Hilarity Bites". The comedians were good and the venue very nice. The building looks amazing and the staff are very helpful, friendly and were ready to top up drinks during each break. Shout out to Imogen who served us. Highly recommend venue and comedy event which they run every month.

Really nice, tasty food with good portion sizes and great service. Prices are reasonable too.

Fantastic place, very original, good servive. Quality of the food was superb, although portions could be a tad bigger.

Booked for lunch with friends for our birthdays. Service was slow but the staff were very apologetic.

We went in here on a whim after a long walk needing somewhere to refuel. Came in and it was perfectly quiet. Nice music. Very grand. Delicious food. Staff were extremely nice and helpful. Drinks were well priced. I never normally feel moved to write a review but I loved it here and was sad to see how quiet it was compared to the ivy which was very busy right next door. Would love to see more people here.

Alice is amazing! She is a light! Thank You!

Nice cocktails, though not cheap. It annoys me that the venue is trying to copy London, adding a 12% service charge to all bills.

Probably one of the worst bottomless brunches you could have in York. Service very slow, food not enough to fill a 4 year old. Drinks menu is very limited, our group of 4 sat for 15 minutes waiting for a top up on drinks. Don’t waste your money here, go to the tank and paddle and get better food and drink options as well as fast service plus extra 30 minutes of drinking time. Only giving the stars due to Google requirements.

Afternoon tea, had booked for a company but sat and waited for food and tea for over an hour. Wasn't ok.

Came for Sunday fondue for my birthday it was very tasty.

Lovely service from Harvey, nice atmosphere and fun signature cocktails for decent prices! Definitely recommend ☺️.

We’ve just arrived home from a weekend of site seeing and family fun in York. There’s no better way to end our weekend than a roast dinner before heading home so after looking around we decided to try Impossible and it won’t be our last visit. The dinner was delicious and the service fantastic. The staff were so attentive and the manager, Alex, was ever present, making sure everybody was catered for. 100% recommend, and next time I’ll make sure I try the cocktails which looked divine. Sadly I was driving home after this visit so was unable to try them today.

Had a fabulous Sunday Lunch at Impossible York today, Yorkshire Puddings are amazing & everything looked & tasted great! The staff are so lovely, my husband & myself were served by a lovely young girl called Rachael, she was very pleasant, helpful, professional & nothing was too much bother for her. The cocktail & wine menu’s were amazing too. We would definitely be back soon.

Had a wonderful Sunday Dinner and the staff were really helpful even though they were super busy, fair play to them. Lovely interior, great choice of drinks and a pleasant atmosphere, can't recommend it enough!

Came for a Sunday lunch with my family while on a visit to York. It was quite busy when we arrived but the staff were very considerate about this and made sure to improve our experience by being very chatty with us all during the time we were there. Food was of a good quality and for the portions given was quite reasonably priced. Would certainly come again.

Lovely place, we sat outside and had a drink, more upscale than our usual picks but honestly lovely - Drinks were pricey but tasty

Breakfast,service,all 1st class

We had lunch at Impossible. The wait staff were very attentive, particularly our server Imogen. The fish and chips were a very generous portion and the sandwiches were very good. The plain front of this establishment hides a large and interesting architecture inside. I would recommend this spot if you find yourself in central York.

Visited Atmosphere for bottomless brunch, the venue is huge. Drinks were always topped up, didn't have to ask at any point. Food was good, quick service and hot. Despite it being busy the tables were very spaced out meaning you weren't sitting right next to other people. Only small criticism....and I'm aware this makes me sound old....the music was quite loud meaning we struggled to chat across the table. Would visit again.

I visited Impossible York for afternoon tea with my best friend as a late birthday treat (for myself). The food was nice, very fresh and tasty (the scones were delicious and the cakes were yummy). The service wasn't bad but we did have to flag down staff a few times; our milk wasn't refilled and when we asked for more tea we were told this would be an extra cost (this wasn't explained upon arrival; most places do unlimited tea?). The place was almost empty so we would have expected the staff to be more attentive. Overall a decent experience and I would visit again, but not quite as good as I expected.

Very tacky. This could be a brilliant venue, however, improvements on staff and the general look of the place needs undertaken.

Our server Meda was really good and got us our drinks quickly, very nice, small plates of food a little too small and the drinks selection for bottomless brunch could have been more varied but overall a good afternoon out

Very slow service when they weren't very busy. Mediocre food and not value for money.

Had a lovely lunch with friends here. Service was excellent, we were very well looked after from arrival to end. Menu had plenty to choose from and it was very tasty. Will visit again and can highly recommend.

We're often in York and have been here twice but this was our first Sunday lunch. It was fabulous.

Really lovely steak, better than well known steak place in town! Chunky chips great but could do with more veg

I've attended two mumbler brunches here upstairs with a young baby (thsse are once a month). The staff are very attentive, very polite, happy to help you with your pushchair. They are very accommodating, the breakfast is very tasty. Ive had a full english and a pancake stack (on seperate occaisons - both delicious). The building is beautiful, makes a nice change to dine somewhere with a baby in an environment with a bit of class.

I came in with my fiance the other day into Impossible for dinner and some cocktails. We don't go out very often, but our server Alice sure convinced us to start eating out more often. She went above and beyond with top service, never forgetting a single thing. She was smiley, friendly and had a really good sense of humor. She always made sure our glasses were never empty and that everything was top standard!! She's an asset to the team!!

We had a really lovely chicken club sandwich, which came with fries. Really competitively priced. Beautiful decor in a stunning venue. Great service.

What a complete waste of time, don’t even bother, God knows how this place is still open, staff completed not interested in their job, had to walk out in the end

Very nice burgers. Seafood. More!

Place looked lovely, very inviting. Service was very poor. It was approx 1pm and the restaurant wasnt particulary busy. They didn't tell us what they didn't have on the menu until trying to order. When dinner arrived we asked for ketchup for our fish finger sandwiches after a long wait she arrived back to the table with the smallest portion of ketchup and said, 'Sorry its all the ketchup we have left in the building ' how can you run out of ketchup you would think that it's a basic condiment. There was no check back to see if we were happy and we had to raise the issues to the manager. Won't be returning.

Very slow service, received 10% off drinks as they took more than 30 minutes to reach the table, as did the food.

Beautiful place, excellent service, cake was dry but the waitress was wonderful about it. Would have liked different music but that's a personal preference

First time here, will definitely come back. Great service, great food and probably the best chips I've ever had 😅

Lovely place, great food, with professional service 👌

Lovely place but it was filthy. The service is dreadful and they put a service charge on your drinks bill. The toilets were so bad we turned around and walked back out. Paper towels all over the floor, one toilet out of order and the other two were dirty.

Food was mediocre at best and definitely was not worth the price nor the excessive wait time. Service was alright and the venue is very nice. Seems like a decent place for drinks but drastically inferior to a great number of restaurants in the vicinity if you're looking for a good meal.

Attended as part of a group of 10 for a pre booked celebration. Lovely bar. Cocktails beautiful. Ladies toilets unclean.

We came for the bottomless brunch and the service was brilliant! The staff were attentive and the food was good too. I would definitely recommend.

So so slow service from someone actually taking our order to then making the cocktails, took around 45 minutes! Managed to get 2 drinks in 90minutes and very nearly cancelled the food order (only chips and nibbles) as it was taking so long. Such a shame as it’s a really nice place

Gorgeous bar, perfect location. Only 2 people serving on a Friday night which meant there was a queue at the bar for drinks. Other than that, perfect drinking spot 🍸

We had our wedding reception here on Wednesday. The staff were absolutely amazing and everyone from management, supervisors, kitchen and bar staff was so helpful and made our afternoon/evening/night so special. Can’t remember her name who helped us the day before and on the day of the wedding supervising, but she was an absolutely fantastic help and stepped in as a DJ as well. We can’t thank Impossible enough, everyone enjoyed themselves and enjoyed the drinks, food and atmosphere.

We had a cuppa tea was ok very dated inside . I used the toilet and was very dirty , rusty and just grimey

The fish and chips was burnt or the oil was not fresh very over priced for this standard place The first 3 white wines on the menu was not available so why are they on the menu ? To make you go for the more expensive ones probably! Then bang £10 service charge Not worth it will not be going back Staff was friendly

We received a wonderful welcome by the hotel staff, very polite and helpful. The room was lovely and clean and being situated pretty much bang in the centre, it's perfect for getting around. We didn't try the bar, but it did look lovely inside. There is the Asda which is about a 10 minute walk if you're driving.

Had to wait for 45 min for our drinks , music was unsuitable for to play in a restaurant, it was loud , couldnt have a conversation. And when one of your ears is not working , it was very difficult. They turned the music down when asked . Quality wise the food was oké. Service was slow .

Called Impossible for a reason...Kids eat free was misleading. Tomato salad was literally just tomatoes. Waited ages for food. When it arrived 3 members of staff came over with a plate each. Lovely venue (other than the skanky toilets) poor service and overpriced.

We had a booking for 1100 which apparently is right when they open. We showed up a couple minutes past 11 and told them we had a booking. They told us they don't open for another 5-10 minutes. Okay, why allow people to book at 11 when you're still setting up tables lol. Either don't allow bookings until 15 minutes after you actually open or maybe have your staff set up the tables etc before you open your doors lol. Impossible to get served lol. Waitress that brought out the drinks told us it was table service for food. We waited nearly an hour to see if anyone was going to ask if we would like to order any food. After we finished the drinks, we left to get food somewhere else. If it was bar service for drinks and food, at least get all the staff on the same page so they are telling the customers the right thing. Oh well.

Food was OK but nothing special, didn't feel ripped off but wouldn't go again. The toilets were atrocious

Impossible to get any service - booked a table so expected at least to be able to catch a waitress occasionally. Drinks were fine, but took ages and when we tried to pay and leave early there was a £20 service charge! Over-priced and under staffed.

Stopped outside for lunch as we had our dog with us, it started raining so they invited us inside and welcomed the dog too. Food was great and they have Rhubarb Lemonade which i really liked 👍

We went to Pink, very nice inside however extremely hot! We also had an unstable table which we feared our drinks would be knocked over using.. we also paid a deposit to drink here so expected better. The cocktails were lovely however my glass was covered in lipstick so overall poor which I hate saying

Rachel and Jamie hosted my group of 15 ladies this weekend for a cocktail making event and it was brilliant. They have the whole evening a great vibe and fun atmosphere. Excellent value for money and we got to drink the cocktails as well . The shot train at the end is amazing . 110-% recommend this . Thank you to all involved and Sharna for liaising the whole event for me .

I take hospitality as a collective of measures. At Impossible, the food is good, the service is good and the drinks are good. The atmosphere and decor in the incredibly historic Terry’s building is lovely, though it’s a real shame that this does not extend to the bathroom facilities. This, in my view, really lets Impossible down. The facilities, whilst old and a historic part of the building, are dingy, dirty and clearly not very well looked after. It totally detracts from the rest of the establishment, and puts you off your dinner. Sort the bathrooms out and this is a top niche establishment, however at the moment I cannot give a full five stars.

The only place in York to stop for a tea and a scone if you have a little dog with you. The staff are lovely.

Stopped here, for a cup of tea, sitting at the outside tables, during half term week. Pleasant experience in the sunshine ☀️ Would have stayed to have something to eat, but menu was lacking in GF options. Bit strange really, in this day & age 😕

Went for the bottomless brunch, the veggie bean burger was too crunchy to eat, but had a fab time, the booze was flowing, service was excellent and its a great location. The staff were really accommodating. Thank you.

A really small fish finger and chips on a dirty table and a pint of larger £17

A very nice restaurant, we were there for lunch at noon and the food was excellent, very good ox cheek dishes and Rumpsteak grass feed, delicious and good service, I would return without thinking twice

We visited for champagne afternoon tea for a hen party in York, the service was impeccable, the surroundings were gorgeous and the food was so tasty. Several ladies commented on how lovely it was over Betty's across the street. Make sure you visit here, we'll be back to try cocktails in the Pink room!

Absolute dive. Overpriced and poor service

Went for a drag show brunch. The food was nice enough. However the show was very disappointing, I was expecting longer than a 20 minute sing along, which was below average for entertaining. Was very expensive for what we got! The tables were dirty and needed a good clean. The drink choices from the brunch menu wasn’t very impressive, and the service was slow, so did not get value for money that way either. Won’t be booking again, such a let down

We had such a wonderful time at impossible. Bottomless brunch for a hen party is never an easy task but Emily was absolutely exceptional. She was fab and absolutely nothing was too much trouble for our table. Thank you Emily xx

Nothing like it looks on the website. Bit shabby, not plush like the marketing, full of stags n hens, families with kids, broken toilets with overflowing bins.

On holiday to York, we came across this very interesting looking bar/tea room and were looking for breakfast. First things first, as I'm disabled and on a mobility scooter, the access into the tea room is excellent (I couldn't get into Betty's, even if I tried), and the staff were more than helpful in opening the double doors, even though I could get in through a single door. This is all fine, but what about the food? I had the big Yorkshire breakfast. I am fussy about good quality bacon, sausage and eggs, and this more than stood up to scrutiny. I found that it was also good value,as well as excellent quality...in fact, I couldn't eat it all!!! My partner had the pancake stack with berries. It was stunningly presented, and according to her, was "very delicious". Overall, an excellent experience. Don't expect cheap and cheerful...this is a high quality place. You do definitely get what you pay for. When we come back to York, we will return to Impossible without hesitation

Hmmm. A bit of a let down. Was recommended to come here through a online guide to good places to eat in York, but the food was subpar in my opinion. I wasn’t very hungry, so went for the croquettes and they were very much giving me ‘deep fried from frozen’ vibes. The boys had burgers, which were ‘average’. The tables were a bit spaced out, giving the place an empty feeling. We were there for lunchtime, and I imagine it might be more fun in the evening for cocktails or drinks with a large bar at the rear. The toilets need to be sorted out. They were pretty disgusting. One of the hot taps in the ladies was stuck on and I got the feeling it had been like that for a while which just seemed lazy and wasteful. They were smelly and messy with paper towels on the floor. The gents was even worse by all accounts.

The place to go in York,pink room added and motel

Highly recommend big thank you too Jack he was amazing nothing too much trouble so helpful definitely be back

Nice decor, and friendly staff. Didn't have to wait long to be attended to. The menu was quite decent, and the food was good. Mushroom risotto was one of the best I've had, and the sorbet was pretty decent. The place seems popular, particularly for hen do parties, so it was a little bit loud at times.

Me and my partner came for some Brunch. The menu has plenty of options for everyone and accommodates any specific needs/ wants. Our waitress was polite & patient. The drinks came out quickly and so did the food. Would highly recommend making a stop to Impossible if you’re passing by or in the local area. Great value for money.

During our trip to York, I knew I wanted to experience afternoon tea and am so HAPPY I chose Impossible. We made reservations well in advance online (which I suggest). The day of our reservation was freezing and rainy and it was the first time we stumbled upon this area in York. Unsure what to do (with a toddler) being so early, we took a risk and asked if they could seat us 45 minutes earlier, and they did! Our server was lovely, kind and so helpful. The food, scones, tea cakes and dessert were all so delicious and decadent! Our family had a wonderful time and we highly recommend Impossible York!!

Went for cocktails, reasonably priced, great setting and tasty drinks.

Very poor quality food. Served cold and reheated soggy sweet potatoes on limp green leaves and unflavoured sauce. Other dishes were unfortunately not edible and were left uneaten. Really disappointing food that we could have cooked far better at home. We will not be returning.

Had a girls lunch for 12 people. Food and cocktails were delicious.

We came to the impossible today to discuss hiring out the wonderbar for our wedding reception. Ellie showed us upstairs and answered questions we had, she’s really lovley. We then had the beef Sunday dinner which was; AMAZING, as was the alcohol free Mojito and the “Terry the third” cocktail. Our server; Riya was very attentive and polite. 5/5

Lovely scone and decor. Nice to escape city centre and chill. Will make it a regular thing.

Just been for a Sunday roast. I was apprehensive to the quality as this is an events place and bar but I was blown away with the taste and quality of food. Different veg too with braised cabbage chucks of roast Carrots and swede! Definitely one of my favourite in York!

Gorgeous cocktail would highly recommend and gorgeous bar perfect for a girls day

The food was delicious, but it took a very long time to arrive even though the restaurant was not that busy.

Gave up Betty’s due to the incredible long queue, pop into this lovely tea room. The food are very good and the service is great as well. We have to move seat due to venue booking but the manager did check-in often to make sure we are comfortable.

I booked out the pink cocktail room for my 21'st birthday and me and my friends had the best time!!!! The room is absolutley gorgeous and I couldn't recommend it more for a birthday. The staff were so friendly and welcoming to me and my guests. The cocktails were brilliant (especially the cosmopolitans which we loved) and so was the Prosecco. Thank you so much to the impossible team!!!! xx

Highly recommended, great place, amazing food and service Definitely will be back

Great venue, gorgeous building, bottomless bruch was amazing, lovely drinks great service, food was amazing, server Alex was brilliant, very attentive to the group

Lovely coffee & cakes, beautiful decor & a great back story. This place has been empty for years, so lovely to see it open and running again, definitely one of York’s nicer places, don’t bother with Betty’s tea rooms, this place is so so much better. Staff really friendly and helpful always cleaning tables nothing is to much bother, definitely coming back here again for food again .

We went to Impossible York for breakfast and the experience was great. They have a small seating area near the bar with trendy decor. We each had a latte and the impossible breakfast stack. The food was amazing but not too heavy. Overall we were really happy with the service.

Very average place as an overall experience. Cleanliness is not their strong point. The food we had was very average. The place has character and could be a lot better but seems the management need to take things a bit more seriously.

My mum and I went to impossible for a drag brunch and we were really impressed with the attentive and friendly member of staff Alex W who was our waitress. She was very attentive making sure we had drinks and getting them to us quickly and helping us with our food order. The food was delicious! Thank you Alex W for making our experience a great one.

Food was OK, head chef was very rude and lack respect in front of my mother ( we came as a group) but because of the head chef its a no-go for me and my family ( they refuse us to change seats also)

Any women beware the bar at the Side which opens on a night it’s unisex toilets and men have to walk past a curtain to their section. Awful place.

Couldn’t stay as the music was too loud. It was like been in a night club. The coffee we had was very nice and the staff were very pleasant.

Excellent, why bother with Betty’s.

Went for Sunday dinner. It was dry and average, we had to ask for extra gravy as no way was there enough given originally. The carrots/parnsips that came on the side had a burnt taste and the pea puree was a weird addition for a roast dinner. The main question I had was why put salad into a Yorkshire pudding. Gave it a 2 for the service but definitely wouldn't recommend the roast (for £15 as well!).

Stopped off for a cup of tea and whilst having a day in York! You can sit in or outside which was lovely! Greeted by staff at the door and served very quickly! A great selection of drinks, food and cake

Called in for lunch. Good choices on menu. Good atmosphere, staff very attentive and helpful.

We stopped in here on a Saturday nite when everything else was full up, and had a great dinner! The waitress was a real sweetheart, the food was delicious, and the gentleman at the front was also very friendly! One of our best meals in York!

Beautiful cocktails and nice venue. The toilets could do with a clean or a refurb though.

Great place. Best ever scone! Staff were chatty, friendly and efficient. Sat outside people watching. Lovely and chilled. Will go again on our next visit.